It Began Like This
by RavenSoulSister
Summary: James Potter's arm candy of the week doesn't turn out to be what he expected at all. One-Shot. Rated T for language.


**A/N:** A quick one-shot I came up with in the night. Don't judge too harshly and no flames, please. REVIEW!

* * *

**It Began Like This**

"Do it." Sirius pushed James towards the large group of girls that were crowded around a library table. James stumbled forward a few steps and looked behind him, long enough to scowl at the happy-go-lucky expression Sirius had smacked onto his face. James' hazel eyes returned to the group, immediately focusing on the girl sitting in the middle of the circle. She was the center of attention, speaking with exaggerated hand movements and wide, sparkling eyes as if she were telling a particularly dramatic story.

James looked back at Sirius, who was watching him expectantly. He scrunched up his long nose slightly.

"I don't know, Pads. She's very…"

"Odd?" Sirius finished for him, nodding thoughtfully. "Yea, I suppose anyone who hangs out with Snivellus has got to have a loose screw or two. But look at her, mate, she is one good-looking bird." James' eyes flickered back to the girl and he mentally agreed. She was definitely exceptionally pretty.

"And she's obviously popular." That was true as well, James thought. All eyes were drawn to her, like flies to honey; everyone was immersed in her words and pretty facial expressions as she told her seemingly enthralling tale.

"And she's smart, I know you think it's hot when a girl can challenge you academically."

Sirius placed a hand on James' shoulder and pushed him forward a few more steps.

"Come on. You know you want to. You've been watching her for weeks." James almost blushed. Admittedly, he had been a bit dazed when he had seen her again. She had certainly filled out over the summer after fourth year and was gorgeous. She had shed her obnoxious know-it-all attitude for a casual confidence that gave her a few bonus points in James' book. She was a perfect candidate for James' new flavor of the week.

"Alright," James agreed, rubbing his palms together, wincing at the friction it created. "Lets do this."

The two boys casually strode towards the table of girls, smirking like the cocky Gryffindor 5th years they were.

A blonde Ravenclaw girl in 4th year, who was seated upon the wooden surface of the table, saw them approaching and her eyes widened. Quickly, she shushed the group, who was laughing uproariously, or as uproarious as you can be in a library, at a joke the pretty girl in the center had just recited. A hushed silence fell over the females as each girl, one by one, turned to peer curiously at the approaching popular boys. One dared to giggle behind her hand shyly.

The girl in the center was the last to turn her head. Her brilliant bottle green eyes blinked as James stopped in front of her group of friends, a casual smirk plastered upon his handsome face.

"Hey Evans." He said in his naturally booming, unsettling loud voice. A few girls broke into giggles. 'Evans', otherwise known as 'Lily', shot him a weird look.

"Hi." She answered back slowly. She had a strong, clear voice, James decided. It was feminine and pretty, but contained a sort of strength that matched her crimson hair and blazing eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked curiously.

James took another step forward, ignoring the girls that were practically breathing down his neck. Of all the times he had asked out a girl, and he had asked out girls many many times before, none had ever been as painfully awkward as this one.

"There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend. Go with me?" The girls surrounding them burst into excited titters and "Ooooohd" and "Ahhhhhd".

"Go on Lilsa! Go out with him!" Marlene McKinnon, a 5th year Gryffindor and one of Lily's best friends nudged her gently with a wicked grin. She was a pretty blonde with soft blue eyes and a tender smile. A small girl with smoky brown curls and teal eyes nodded excitedly, her cheeks pink.

"Say yes, Lily!"

James was feeling extremely proud of himself, mentally patting himself on the back, as the girls continues to urge Lily to accept. He smirked with self-assuredness… until he took notice of the expression on Lily's face. Her eyes were narrowed the slightest bit, her head tilted so that her dark red hair flowed down her left shoulder like a fiery waterfall. She examined him with her intelligent eyes. For some reason, James felt naked, like all his secrets were out in the open, under her watchful gaze.

Finally, after some of the chatter had stopped, Lily spoke with deliberate slowness.

"And… why are you asking _me_?"

Damn, the girl didn't beat around the bush much, did she?

"Well," James started pleasantly, "Remus is taking Marlene," the aforementioned girl blushed lightly and ducked her head, "Sirius is taking Emmeline," Emmeline Vance was a beautiful 4th year Gryffindor who had been dating Sirius for the past year and a half, "so I thought we could go on a triple date… you wouldn't be alone, what with other girls coming and all." Lily arched her eyebrows.

"I'm not finished." James continued with a lopsided smile. "I like you." He paused, allowing the girls surrounding him to catcall and wolf whistle pretentiously, as all teenage girls do. He smiled, his eyes locked with Lily's.

He was shocked to find that she hadn't blushed or fidgeted at all at his proclamation, merely staring straight at him politely, with the smallest of smiles gracing her red lips, her eyes twinkling with something James couldn't identify.

"And I'd love to have the honor of taking you out." He finished charmingly, bending over the tiniest bit, in a mock bow, and looking behind him to send Sirius a stealthy wink, which the boy returned. Some girls applauded him; even friendly-faced Alice Longbottom slapped a hand to his back and grinned at him good-naturedly. He awaited Lily's answer.

He already knew what it would be. After all, no girl had ever refused him. He watched Lily smile slightly.

"Sure."

His lips curled up into a devious smirk of arrogance.

* * *

Later that week, James found himself lingering between bookshelves watching a boy and girl sitting at the table beside the shelf that James was peering through. Honestly, he felt a bit like a stalker for doing this, but he had seen them and his curiosity was just… piqued.

They couldn't be more polar opposites. The boy had pallid, sunken cheeks, dark greasy hair that framed his thin face like a curtain, deep black eyes, and a rather large nose. The girl was Lily Evans, pretty and petite, reading a textbook with her brows furrowed, as if trying to ignore the boy who was speaking to her in a hushed, urgent voice.

"… don't see why you said yes to him. You know what he and his idiotic friends do." Severus Snape, a Slytherin that James Potter disliked, spoke into Lily's ear.

Lily flipped a page of her book airily. "I just thought I'd give him a chance."

Snape stared at her in disbelief and she continued to not meet his gaze.

"Are you kidding me? A chance? Lily, he's been torturing me for 5 years. What in the world possessed you to give him a chance after this long?"

"I don't know. I just feel that there's something more to him, you know?"

James cocked a grin and listened closer.

Snape leaned back in his chair, watching the redhead warily. "No. No, I don't."

There was a pause as Lily's hands gripped her textbook tightly and her knuckles turned white.

"I know why you're doing this." Snape said quietly, so quietly that James almost missed his words.

Lily's eyes darted upwards and returned to her book at shocking speed.

"Do you?"

"Yes. You're just too nice. You can't say 'no', can you? You're just too fucking _nice_."

Lily shut her book with an audible snap and glared at Snape.

"What are you trying to insinuate?" Snape looked shocked for a second, before he shook himself out of it.

"Nothing, Lilyflower. I just don't trust him. Don't go with him, Lily."

Lily promptly stood up from the table and began packing her bags.

"Severus, you have _nothing _to say in this matter. I'm going and that's final."

Snape stood up as well, looking fidgety; he grabbed Lily's hand just as she turned to leave.

"He's not good for you."

Lily blinked. "Not good for me… And how would you know, Sev?" she asked coldly. "Everyone deserves a chance."

She withdrew her hand from Snape's grasp swiftly and walked out of the library as fast as her slender little legs could take her. Snape looked up to watch her retreating form and James saw that his eyes didn't match his voice at all. They were filled with longing and… love.

That was the first time that James realized there was more to Snape and Lily than he had realized before.

* * *

He was waiting outside The Three Broomsticks with Remus and Sirius and Emma.

More like horse playing.

Two small figures made their way down the windy and winding street of Hogsmeade, wearing sweaters and scarves. It was a perfect example of an autumn day, the slight chill biting at their noses and fingers, for those who didn't wear gloves.

James stopped his mischievous actions long enough to greet his beautiful date. The girl was dressed in a navy blue dress of silk that reached past her knees, revealing slender calves. She had a black sweater clutched around her and a light scarf that blew lithely with the wind, nipping at her nose as it rose up to cover her face. She pushed it down and smiled dazzlingly.

"Hey." She said to James when he greeted her. She pushed some red hair out of her eyes and looked away from her date, instead watching Remus greet a flustered Marlene with a hug. Lily smiled.

"How long are we going to be out here?" Emma complained good-naturedly, releasing Sirius' arm and clutching her emerald shawl around herself.

"Only a few more minutes." James answered, checking his watch. "It's quite busy tonight." The girls nodded in understanding.

James ran a hand through his messy ebony hair, a nervous habit of his, and went to join Sirius and Remus who were chatting about Quidditch. They stopped talking when he approached and looked at him in confusion.

"Shouldn't you be talking to your date?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

"Shouldn't you?" James countered. Sirius rolled his stormy gray eyes.

"Er, I, unlike you, have been dating Emma for a long time. You, however, don't know a single thing about the girl you've come here with." James looked indignant.

"Yes, I do! She's really smart and pretty and nice… and she's friends with my enemy." James added with a grimace. Remus shook his head, amused.

"That's nothing. I'm sure you know that sort of information about every girl in school."

James said nothing. Then, "Oh yea? Well what about you? How long have you been talking to Marlene?"

"Not long." Remus admitted. "But we're partners in DADA so we talk quite often."

James was lost for words. It was true, he supposed. He should be paying more attention to his date, especially one as lovely as Lily Evans. His gaze fell upon the three girls standing a few meters away. As usual, Lily had somehow managed to befriend Sirius' girlfriend and was chatting animatedly with Emma and Marlene.

"She seems to be having fun…" James noticed his eyes trained on Lily's tiny figure. He honestly didn't care that she was having fun without him. She was this week's arm candy, his new flavor. He was already bored; it hadn't even been a challenge.

He lived for challenges, and there weren't much of those. After all, he was one of the most sought after boys in the whole school.

He heard Remus sigh and he turned back to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Just go talk to her, Prongs." Remus said with the slightest bit of exasperation coloring his tone.

Sirius snickered. "Oh, leave him alone, Moony. Obviously, unlike me, the boy lacks social skills." James scowled as the boys broke into laughter. He puffed out his chest arrogantly.

"Yea, well, unlike you, I have the charms to get any girl to go out with me. So beat that, you little-"

"Ahem."

James whirled around to find Lily Evans behind at him, her stunning eyes glittering. He prayed that she hadn't heard. He _hated_ jealous and possessive girls.

"Um, so, they're ready for us." James saw that her lips were pursed as if trying to hold back a lot of laughter.

So much for not hearing.

"Nice one, you little charmer," Sirius muttered sarcastically as he passed the couple.

Lily grinned.

"Uh, you want to go in now?" James asked nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

No way. He couldn't be nervous. James Potter never got nervous in front of a _girl_.

He cleared his throat and straightened his broad shoulders, a cocky expression falling into place.

"Let's go." He said, taking the girl by the elbow and power walking her into the bar, not caring that she was stumbling behind him, trying to keep pace with his long legs. He pulled her towards the six-seater table that Sirius and Remus were already seated at with their dates.

"Right." James said, releasing Lily's elbow in a swift movement, causing her to almost lose her balance and grasp the edge of the table for support.

James didn't bother looking at her face, instead seating himself across from the girl's side of the table and began chatting with Remus and Sirius about pranks.

Soon, however, the butterbeers arrived and his mates were set on talking with their dates. A little reluctantly, James turned to his own date.

She was looking around the room, a soft smile on her face, as her gaze lingered on people like Dorcas Meadowes, a mutual friend of James and Lily, Benjy Fenwick, Dorcas' boyfriend, and Rory Delaine, the little curly brown haired Ravenclaw that had been a part of Lily's group of friends that day at the library. She noticed James staring at her and she smiled in a friendly manner. James cleared his throat.

"So, Evans…" Lily raised her eyebrows at the use of her last name. "Are you… a fan of treacle fudge?" She laughed, a musical, tinkling laugh and smiled at him sweetly.

"I am." She declared cheerfully. "One of the best treats in the Wizarding World." James cocked his head to the side.

"Are muggle sweets any good? I mean…" James stopped speaking, raising his brows knowingly as if to say that anything made by muggles wasn't going to be satisfactory. Something flashed within Lily's eyes for a second before it disappeared completely and she smiled again, albeit a little less happily.

"Oh, yes, quite good. I've always had a fetish for peppermint candy canes." Lily said dreamily.

"We have peppermint too." James pointed out.

"Yes, but its not quite as good. Maybe you can try it someday."

James gulped. Was that some sort of secret message? Did it mean that she wanted him to stick around with her long enough to try peppermint candies that could only be bought in muggle London? James was used to these types of hidden meanings from other girls. It was usually after those that he decided to break it off with them. But upon examining her features, all he saw was a kind, friendly smile, the one that she gave to everyone.

James was really getting annoyed with the lack of any reaction from this girl.

"Evans, do you like Quidditch?" he asked, trying to break the awkward silence he had created. She set down her butterbeer and licked her lips slowly.

"Well… I can't say I'm the biggest fan." James gave her an incredulous look.

"But… but Quidditch is AMAZING. You've been to all the games, right?" Lily smiled sheepishly.

"I can't say I have."

"What? Wow, that's mental." Lily looked a bit offended, but she covered it up.

"You remember how I was, don't you? Last year, I mean. I was completely immersed in my studies." She smiled, as if remembering a memory. James snorted.

_That's the understatement of the year,_ he thought with a smirk.

He didn't realize he had said it aloud until he saw the disgruntled expression upon her pretty face.

"I suppose I was a bit of a nerd." Lily finished quietly, her eyes narrowed, and watching James with wariness and the slightest bit of annoyance.

James ignored this and began to describe the details of the last game in full description to an extremely uninterested Lily.

* * *

James smiled at his reflection in the mirror. It was BTB Day. That is, "Back to Bachelor".

Today, he was telling Lily Evans that he didn't want to continue their relationship. They had been dating for the past week and it was time for him to move on to the next pretty girl.

James ran a hand through his messy dark locks and took a deep breath.

Time to go.

Walking down the steps that led to the Gryffindor Common Room, James quickened his pace. Lily was probably at the library.

His guess was proven correct as he saw a head of flaming thick hair bent over a large book of spells. He swaggered over to the table and seated himself across from her. For once, she was alone, which he was grateful for. It would be less embarrassing for her when she started to cry or whatever. Hopefully she wasn't one of those girls that scratched his face up or hexed him so bad, he had to be sent to the hospital wing. He hated those.

"Hey Evans."

The girl looked up and smiled at him brightly.

"Hi… Potter." She had taken to calling him by last name too. "What is it?"

"Are you busy? Is this a good time?" For some reason, James felt like postponing it, at least for a little while. She was just so… _pretty_.

She blinked and then smiled knowingly, looking slightly amused.

"Now is fine." She said, smiling politely.

_If you're sure,_ he thought, his face heating up uncomfortably. He had done this a thousand times before, what was holding him back now?

"I want to break up." He blurted out finally. "I mean… it was fun, but-"

Lily held up a dainty little hand calmly and smiled at him. "I understand."

She rose and gathered her things, putting her books away, still smiling very nicely.

"W-what?" James asked, flabbergasted. "You _do_?"

"Of course!" Lily said, swinging her bookbag over her shoulder and smiling.

_Was it just he, or did her eyes just become even more gorgeous than before?_

"I guess I'll see you around then," she said, beaming, as she turned to leave the library.

"Wait!"

It took James a moment to realize that the words had come from his mouth. He had rose from the table shakily and crossed the distance between them in a few long strides. He felt angry as he looked down at her pretty little nose and pretty little lips.

_When did she ever become so bloody beautiful?_

"What- what's wrong with you?" he demanded. "Where are the crying, the attacking, the hexing? What kind of a girl _are_ you?" the slightest bit of awe leaked into his voice at the end. Lily raised her arched red brows, irritation seeping onto her features.

"One with a brain." She said coolly, turning once again. This time, James ran in front of her, blocking her path.

"Nobody could ever be so unaffected by a break-up from me!" James said narcissistically. Lily's eyes widened in disbelief and anger.

"Well, there's a first for everything, I suppose!" she retorted, her hands clutching the straps of her bags tightly. Feeling desperation and rejection flow through his body for the first time, his ego taking a hit, James defensively insulted her.

"You're so _odd_." James sneered. "You're just a prude. That's why you're just so nonchalant about this." He finished triumphantly, his expression condescending.

It evaporated the minute he saw her face.

By Merlin.

She was _furious_.

Her form was trembling, her tiny hands clutched into fists by her sides, her teeth gritted, her eyes narrowed into angry slits, blazing with fury.

And… she looked absolutely stunning.

James found himself staring at her in awe and wonder. She looked like a fiery angel.

_He wanted her. He needed her._

"James Potter!" she shrieked, startling him out of his daze. A smile lit up his attractive features as he watched her fume. She was so dazzlingly gorgeous.

"How dare you! You are the most insensitive, imbecilic, narcissistic, rude, cocky, pompous, conceited, supercilious, vain, and _arrogant_ bastard I have ever had the misfortune of meeting!" She paused, taking a deep breath as James watched amused.

"Please, do not ever speak to me again, you- you- _you toerag_!" she was breathing heavily as she finished her rant, her chest rising and falling.

James merely smirked and ran a hand through his hair.

"Go out with me, Evans?" he asked, winking at her handsomely.

"…EURGH!"

Lily stormed out of the library, her feet making stomping noises against the ground as James came to his senses and took off running after her.

"Evans, wait up! Is that a yes?"

* * *

A/N: I know, I know, it was a bit random. I'm not too proud of it, and it didn't take me long at all to write this. Maybe I'll go back and rewrite this later, but for now…

Cheers!

Reviewers get fresh home-made cookies from me! (I actually made some today.)


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